EP Citizenship debate: limiting the damage to Malta's reputation

In view of tomorrow’s debate on European Citizenship debate in the European Parliament, Alternattiva Demokratika Chairperson, Prof. Arnold Cassola, said: “Prime Minister Muscat’s citizenship sale proposal is causing undue damage to our country’s reputation. The European Socialists are embarrassed by their Maltese colleague’s scheme whilst the EPP and the European Liberals are openly condemning the Maltese government in their resolutions.

Despite the fact that Muscat has created serious discrimination between rich “high value” foreigners and normal “low value” foreigners, as well as insulting the normal average Maltese worker that earns 15,000 euros a year plus their foreign spouses who can only apply for a Maltese passport after 5 years of marriage as not being of “high calibre” because they are not millionaires, we European Greens have refrained from specifically condemning and mentioning Malta in our resolution because the Maltese people are not to be blamed for the incompetence of their leaders.

Carmel Cacopardo, AD Deputy Chairperson and Spokesperson on Home Affairs stated that this notwithstanding, we Maltese and European Greens consider the granting of national citizenship on the basis of financial capability as undermining the spirit of mutual trust in citizenship matters. This might have huge implications for free movement, voting rights and the visa-waiver programmes that benefit all EU-citizens. Camel Cacopardo added that the sale of Citizenship scheme is a betrayal of the spirit of Malta’s political committments as expressed in the Schengen agreement. Whilst it is to early to state where this will lead to, it is clear that the quasi unanimity at the European Parliament signifies that that there may be serious political consequences in the near future. It is time for Joseph Muscat to start thinking before he acts.

In vista tad-dibattitu dwar iċ-ċittadinanza Ewropea għada fil-Parlament Ewropew, iċ-Chairperson ta’ Alternattiva Demokratika, il-Prof. Arnold Cassola, qal: “Il-proposta tal-Prim Ministru Muscat dwar il-bejgħ taċ-ċittadinanza qed toħloq ħsara lir-reputazzjoni ta’ pajjiżna. Is-Soċjalisti Ewropej huma imbarazzati bl-iskema proposta mill-kollega tagħhom Malti, waqt li l-PPE u l-Liberali Ewropej qed jikkundannaw apertament lill-Gvern Malti fir-riżoluzzjonijiet tagħhom.

Minkejja l-fatt li Muscat qed joħloq diskriminazzjoni serja bejn barranin “high value” għax miljunarji u barranin “low value” u minkejja li qed jinsulta lill-ħaddiem Malti medju li jaqla’ 15000 ewro fis-sena u l-irġiel jew nisa tagħħom li jistgħu biss japplikaw għal passaport Malti wara 5 snin billi jgħidilhom li mhux ta’ “high calibre” għax mhux miljunarji, aħna u l-European Greens żammejna konxjament milli nikkundannaw u nsemmgħu speċifikament lil Malta fir-riżoluzzjoni tagħna għaliex il-poplu Malti m’għandux jeħel minħabba l-inkompetenza tal-mexxejja tiegħu.

Carmel Cacopardo, id-Deputat Chairperson ta’ Alternattiva Demokratika u Kelliem għall-Intern, qal li aħna l-Ħodor Maltin u Ewropej inqisu l-għoti taċ-ċittadinanza Ewropea fuq bażi ta’ saħħa finanzjarja bħala theddida għall-fiducja reċiproka li teżisti fil-qasam taċ-ċittadinanza. Dan għad jista’ jkollu implikazzjonijiet serji għal dak li għandu x’jaqsam ma’ moviment ħieles, id-dritt għall-vot u l-programmi ta’ Visa li jolqtu liċ-ċittadini kollha tal-Unjoni Ewropea,

Carmel Cacopardo żied li l-iskema ta’ bejgħ taċ-ċittadinanza hija tradiment tal-ispirtu tal-impenji politiċi ta’ Malta kif meħtiega mill-ftehim ta’ Schengen li Malta ffirmat. Waqt li huwa kmieni biex inkunu nafu l-konsegwenzi preċiżi, huwa car li l-kwazi unanimita’ li hemm fil-Parlament Ewropew jista’ jkollha konsegwenzi politiċi serji fil-futur. Wasal iż-żmien li Muscat jibda jaħseb qabel ma jfattarha.

 

 

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